Tauet, Himmel, den Gerechten

"Tauet, Himmel, den Gerechten" is an Advent hymn in German, in the Catholic tradition of the Rorate masses.

The first text version of "Tauet, Himmel, den Gerechten" was written by the Jesuit Michael Denis, published in Vienna in 1774 in his collection Geistliche Lieder zum Gebrauche der hohen Metropolitankirche bey St. Stephan in Wien und des ganzen wienerischen Erzbistums.

A first melody for the text was composed by Norbert Hauner [de] from Herrenchiemsee Abbey, published in a 1777 hymnal edited by Franz von Kohlbrenner, Landshuter Gesangbuch.

The hymn is not part of the common Catholic German hymnal Gotteslob, but appears in all its regional sections, due to the differences in text and melody.

Other stanzas allude, depending on the version, to the annunciation and visitation, and to the birth of John the Baptist, and contain a general call for repentance.